Article handling device



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ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentecl Jan. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE Carl G. Bailey, Staunton; Va

Application September 5, 1946, Serial No. 694,888

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel construction of device for use in handling heated articles used in cooking and baking and is particularly intended for lifting pie pans and constitutes an improvement on my prior U. S. Letters Patents, Numbers 2,367,991 and 2,398,129.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved lifting device provided with a novel construction of guide member for movably supporting the lifting jaws and equipped with novel means for collapsin or folding the jaws when in a retracted position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of jaw actuator provided with a direct operating connection to the actuating means of the device.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a lifting device having" improved actuating means for transmitting a manual impulse from the handle portion of the device to the articleengaging jaws.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view showing the invention in a retracted position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the device in an extended, operative position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-43 of Figure 2; 1

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the actuating levers;

Figure 7 is a. similar view of the manual actuator, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the retracting spring.

Referring morespecifically to; the drawings, the article lifter in its entirety is: designated generally 9 and includes an elongated base bar It] having an upwardly offset, longitudinally elongated housing H at one end thereof, forming the implement handle, The opposite end of the bar I0 is provided with a downwardly offset up wardly opening arcuate portion [2 in which is received the intermediate portion of a tube l3 which is welded. or' otherwise suitably secured 2v therein and which is disposed transversely to the bar I0, as best illustrated in Figure 2.

The tube i3 is provided with an upwardly opening slot' M which extends from end to end thereof and with spaced, adjacently' disposed. lugs l5, which are disposed in the bottom of the intermediate portion thereof and which project lipwardly therefrom. The tubular member it forms a guide for a pair of tubes IE. which are slidably disposed in telescoping relationship with the corresponding end portions of the tube l3.

The tubes '6 are each provided with slotted bottom portions, the slots 11 of which extend from end to end thereof, and the inner end portions of the tubes on either side: of the slots ii are rolled inwardly to form an arch is arranged to receive the lugs IS. The outer end of each tube I6 is compressed as best at 19 in Figures 1 and 2; the compressed portions I9 being provided to receivethe inturned shank portions 20 of the article engaging jawszl one of which jaws is mounted. on the outer end of each of the reciprocating tubes IS. The inwardly projecting shank portion 20 of each jaw 2| is provided with an opening in the: upper part thereof to receive a pivot pin 22' which extends loosely therethrough and which is anchored in the compressed portion i9. Each jaw It also includes an. elongated shank portion 23 which is disposed substantially at a right angle. to its shank extension 20 and which has side edges which diverge away from its supporting tube Hi. The jaw shank 23 terminates at its free end in a laterally enlarged jaw head 2-4, as best seen in Figures 2- and 3, which is provided with longitudinally spaced inturned lips 25 adapted to engage under the rim 26 of. a pan 2?, as indicated in broken lines in Figure. 4, when the implement 9 is in an extended, operative: position, as illus trated in Figures 2 and 4. As best illustrated in Figure 2, the jaw heads 24 are bowed longitudinally with the inner side thereof being concave to substantially conform to the normal curvature of cooking pans and the free edges of the lips 29 are similarly bowed, for the same purpose. As best seen in Figure 3, the shank portion is of each jaw 2| is. provided with a shoulder 23, located above its. extension 29 and facing toward the outer end of said. extension to abut against the upper part of the outer end of its tube IE, to prevent the jaw 2| from swinging outwardly in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure l, past a position substantially at right angles to the axis of its supporting tube I6.

HA connecting rod 29 extends longitudinally,

substantially the length of each of the jaw supporting tubes i 6, and each of the connecting rods 29 is pivotally connected at 38 at its outer end to its associated jaw extension 20 beneath and adjacent the pivot 22. The inner ends of the rods 29, which form connecting links, are each turned upwardly to form arms 3! which extend through longitudinally elongated slots 32 in the upper portions of the tubes it. The slots 32 are located adjacent the inner ends of the tubes l6 and permit longitudinal sliding movement of the links or rods 29 relatively to said tubes. The arms 31 extend upwardly through the slots M of the guide tube !3 and are adapted for sliding movement therein.

As best seen in Figure 3, a housing ii is provided with a horizontal slot 33 in its forward end to slidably receive a shank portion 34 of an actuator 35. The shank portion 34 is provided at its free end with a curved portion 36 which is slidably located within the housing I l and which is shaped to prevent its movement through the slots 33. The actuator 35 is provided with an upwardly extending loop 3'! disposed forwardly of the housing I I and extending to above the top thereof to form a thumb rest by means of which the actuator 35 is manually moved longitudinally of the bar Ill. The actuator 35 at its opposite end is provided with an elongated bifurcated part 33 which rests on and slidably engages the bar forwardly of the housing H, and which is 0011 nected to the thumb rest 31 at its rear end by an integral, upwardly and rearwardly inclined por tion 39. The side edges of the bifurcated portion 38, adjacent its inner end, are each provided with an upstanding lug or pin 40.

As best seen in Figure 3, the slot of the bifurcated portion 38 is provided to accommodate a pair of pivot pins H and l-2 which are anchored in the bar It! and which project upwardly therefrom. The pivot pins 4| and 42 are disposed intermediate or the side edges of the bar l and in longitudinal spaced relationship to one another.

A pair of actuating levers, designated generally 43 and M are provided with elongated relatively narrow arms 45 having elongated, longitudinally disposed slots 46 adjacent their free ends for loosely engaging the upturned rod ends 3|. The opposite ends of the levers 43 and 44 are laterally enlarged in opposite directions to form heads iii and 58, respectively, having correspondingly curved arcuate slots 49 and 59, respectively, through which the pivot pin ll loosely extends. The heads 47 and 48 are provided with corresponding longitudinally disposed slots located with corresponding transversely disposed slots 52 for loosely receiving the upstanding lugs All of the actuating member 35.

The inclined portion 39 of the actuator 35 is provided with outwardly opening corresponding the levers 43 and 44 toward retracted, parallel positions, as illustrated in Figure 1.

With levers 53 and id thus disposed in substantially parallel relationship, the actuator 35 is in a retracted position as seen in Figure 3, and the tubes It are likewise in retracted positions relatively to the ends of the guide tube I 3- and the connecting rods or links 29 are retracted relatively to the jaw supportingtubes H5 so that the jaws 2| are swung inwardly on their pivots 22 to fold upwardly and inwardly substantially against the underside of the guide tubes l3, as illustrated in Figure 1. The implement 9 will be normally retained, thus disposed, by the action of the spring 5 1 resiliently bearing against the outer edges of the levers G3 and 44. The user or operator grasps the implement 9 by the housing H and to extend the implement to an operative position, places the thumb of the hand grasping the housing I l against the thumb rest 31 to push the actuator 35 in a direction away from the housing ll. As the actuator 35 is connected to the lever heads Q! and :38 by the lugs to engaging the slots 52, as the actuator 35 is moved forwardly, the levers Q3 and in will likewise slide in a direction along the bar iii away from the housing H. The engagement of the arcuate slots 49 and 59 with the pivot pin G-l will cause the lever ends 65 to swing outwardly relatively to one another as said levers are moved away from the housing ll. This initial outward swinging movement of the lever ends 45 will cause the rods or links 29 through engagement of their upturned ends 3| with the slots 36, to slide outwardly in the tubes 16 to swing the jaws 2! downwardly and outwardly to positions substantially at right angles to the longitudinalaxis of the tubes it, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. As the jaws 2i assume these positions, the shoulders 28 thereof will abut against the upper portions of the outer ends of the tubes [6 to prevent further outward sliding movement of the links 29 within the tubes it, so that further outward swinging movement of the lever ends 45 will cause the tube it to he slid outwardly in the guide tube is from their positions of Figure 1 to their positions of Figure 2. With the implement 5 arranged, as illustrated in Figure 2, the jaws may be placed over diametrically opposed portions of the pan 2? and with the lips 25 disposed below the level of the rim ZGthere'of. Upon release of the pressure being exerted against the thumb rest 31, the spring 54 will swing the levers 43 and 44 toward one another to move the jaws 2| in unison with the supporting tubes 16 inwardly until the jaw lips 25 are'engaging under the pan rim 26'after which the pan 2'! maybe readily lifted and transported and upon being placed in the desired location, released by the simple expedient of exerting'an outward pressure on the thumb rest 3? to again move the jaws 2| out of engagement with the pan rim 26. The action of the spring 5 in returning the lever ends 45 toward parallel positions may be augmented by exerting a pressure on the forward side of the thumb rest ill for manually moving the actuator 35 in the. opposite direction or toward the housing H. The elongated slots 46 of the lever arms 45 accommodate the relative movement of said arms 45 lengthwise of the up turned rod end 3 l which movement is principally accommodated by the forward sliding movement of the levers 43 and 44.

During the initial expanding movement of the parts, the rods 29 are moved outwardly in tubes l3 and in so moving, the arms 3| ride outwardly over the arches l8 and drop downwardly on the outer sides thereof to be retained thereby to prevent inward sliding movement of rods 29 and inward folding movement of jaws 2 i. As the parts approach fully retracted positions, the lugs 55 enter arches l8 and their outer ends, which are slightly rounded, engage and cam arms 3! upwardly to above the arches 18 so that rods 29 can slide inwardly in tubes It to fold jaws 2 l.

While the tubes l 3 and l 6 have been illustrated as being substantially circular in cross section, it will be readily apparent that said tubes could be of rectangular or polygonal cross section.

Various other modifications and changes are -kewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an article lifting implement, a handle provided with an elongated shank, a manually actuated member slidably disposed on said shank, a guide member mounted on the shank, remote to the handle and transversely thereof, jaw supporting members slidably connected to the guide member, a jaw pivotally mounted on the outer end of each jaw supporting member, actuating levers slidably and pivotally connected to the shank and to said actuating member and constructed and arranged to slide and swing relatively to the shank when the actuating member is moved longitudinally thereof, and link means connecting said levers and jaws and constructed and arranged upon movement of the levers from retracted to projected positions to initially swing the jaws relatively to said jaw supporting members from folded to extended, operative positions and to subsequently move said jaw supporting members outwardly of one another for opening the jaws.

2. An implement as in claim 1, said link means being slidably and pivotally connected to said levers, pivotally connected to the jaws and slidably disposed relatively to the jaw supporting members.

3. An implement as in claim 1, said jaws being provided with shoulders forming stops for engaging portions of the jaw supporting members when the jaws are swung to positions substantially at right angles to the axis of the jaw supporting members for causing said links and levers to slidably actuate and extend the jaw supporting mem. bars.

4. An implement as in claim 1, said jaw supporting members having stops for engaging the link means to retain them and the jaws in extended positions, said guide being provided with lugs arranged to engage the adjacent ends of the link means, as the parts approach fully retracted positions, to displace them out of engagement with the stops to permit retraction of the link means and folding of the jaws.

5. An implement as in claim 1, said levers being provided with arcuate slots adjacent their inner ends, a pin fixed to said shank and loosely engaged in said slot, said levers being provided with laterally disposed slots, and lugs on the actuating member loosely engaging said laterally disposed slots and combining with the first mentioned pin and arcuate slots for reciprocating and oscillating the levers when said actuating member is reciprocated.

6. An implement as in claim 1, and resilient means anchored to the actuating member and yieldably bearing against said levers for normally returning the parts toward retracted, folded positions.

7. An implement as in claim 1, said guide being of tubular construction and being provided With an upwardly opening longitudinally extending slot, said jaw supporting members being telescoped within the ends of said guide and being provided with upwardly opening longitudinally disposed slots adjacent their inner ends, and said links each including an elongated rod having its outer end pivotally connected to its associated jaw and having an upturned inner end extending through the slot of its associated jaw supporting member and through the slot of the guide member for sliding movement relatively to each of said slots.

8. An implement as in claim 1, said guide being of tubular construction and being provided with an upwardly opening longitudinally extending slot, said jaw supporting members being telescoped within the ends of said guide and being provided with upwardly opening longitudinally disposed slots adjacent their inner ends, and said links each including an elongated rod having its outer end pivotally connected to its associated jaw and having an upturned inner end extending through the slot of its associated jaw supporting member and through the slot of the guide member for sliding movement relatively to each of said slots, said jaw supporting members being of tubular construction to slidably house the connecting links therein.

9. In an article lifting implement, an elongated handle having a cross head at one end thereof, a pair of opposed jaws located beyond the ends of the cross head, jaw supporting members slidably r mounted by the cross head for longitudinal movement relatively thereto and to which the jaws are pivotally connected, a manually actuated member slidably supported on said handle, and link and lever means connecting said actuating member to the jaws, said means being connected to the jaws beneath their pivotal mounting on the jaw supporting members to initially swing the jaws to extended positions when the supporting members are extended by the manually actuated member and to initially swing the jaws to folded positions when the supporting members are retracted by the manually actuated member.

CARL G. BAILEY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bailey Apr. 9, 1946 Number 2,398,129 

